Provost, Prof Josephat Ogbuagu,mni bags NYCN Best Provost Award

 www.odogwublog.com reports that the Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Anambra State, Prof Josephat Ogbuagu,mni  has emerged the best Provost for 2016 organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN). The Deputy President, NYCN, Ezemagu Sunny Nnamdi, who led other officials of the council to the College to present the award, said the leadership of the FCET Umunze emerged as the most outstanding from the category of state and Federal Colleges of Education in the country.
Ezemagu said the exemplary leadership of Prof Ogbuagu in the FCET Umunze brought about rapid development in infrastructure at the Permanent Site of the College. He commended the Provost for maintaining good relationship with both staff and students of the institution, such that the College enjoyed uninterrupted academic programme for the past seven years of his administration. Aside the NCE programme offered in the College, he explained that the College degree programme, run in affiliation with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, as well as the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PDE) had become a lifeline for thousands of students yearning for tertiary education in the country. 
Also speaking, the Secretary, Advisory Council, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Uzoh Ifeanyi said the Council has continued to play its role creditably as a bridge between the Nigerian youths and the government. He said the Council recently took up the task of studying the status of public tertiary institutions in the country to ensure that young people in the country enjoy qualitative education.
“It is clear that education is the key that can change this society. There is need for us to recognize institutions, individuals and even the organized private sector that have done well in the advancement of education. We set up a committee to look at institutions in three categories: universities, polytechnics and colleges of education,” he explained.
He said the Committee left no stone unturned to ascertain institutions that have done well to enable students thrive academically. He noted that the Committee also looked at the policies in these academic institution, especially in infrastructural development, staff and students’ welfare, stability of academic programme, as well as quality of teaching and learning.
“We selected three institutions for the 2016 recognitions: Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, Ibadan Polytechnic and the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze. This is the first time the Council is going into this. The selection came after rigorous discussion, and from what we have seen in this College since we arrived, we have no iota of doubt that the Council has made the right judgment,” he said.
He said the reports from the Students’ Union Government executives, as well as the comments of other students of the College had confirmed the position of the NYCN in the choice of Prof Ogbuagu as the Best Provost for 2016.  He described the Provost as an exemplary leader, whose firm academic leadership had raised the College to greater height among the comity of colleges in the country.
While receiving the award, Prof Ogbuagu commended the leadership of NYCN for the award and promised to redouble his efforts in transforming the institution. He further explained that the concept of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) prompted the need for skilled manpower. He said it was part of government’s initiative to encourage the training of skilled manpower in technical, vocational and science areas that led to the establishment of Federal College of Education (Technical) in each geopolitical zone in the country.  He expressed hope that the FCET Umunze would later be elevated to a full-fledged university, noting that the vision of the mandate of producing technically inclined graduates was being realized.
Ogbuagu commended the effective leadership of the SUG led by the President, Okoye Nonso Augustine, for their understanding and proper handling of students’ matters. He said the College has maintained a zero-tolerance to cultism. He warned students not to make themselves instruments of violence in the hands of unscrupulous individuals. He frowned at the attitude of some youths, who brag about their nuisance value, without any preparation to become future leaders. He also advised students to live in hostels managed by the College authority, and desist from associating with people of questionable conducts. 
BY EMEKA ONWUDINJO